Double Status Credits (book by 5/2/18, fly 12/2/18 to 20/1/19)

[akenne21]

Ok, I'm really stuck now in terms of what to do... I have a couple of trips that I need to do before the end of the year. Am I better off:

a) guessing dates now and running the risk of needing to change the dates of travel on the booking (but not the passenger name or cities - would this then be ineligible for DSC)
OR
b) purchase gift vouchers and use them as and when I know the booking date? And, do I only buy a $50 voucher for each intended booking?

Sorry... am new to this!

 

[Matt_01]

I also have to book a few other trips post my QF renewal (end of Jul) and at the moment the fares are the normal J cost. For this DSC offer I have purchased a few vouchers and a few one way domestic flexible fares that I can change to international trips at no cost if the vouchers do not work.

Within the first couple of weeks for flight qualifying period, I have booked the following:

• a GV flight (created in the booking window, flown within the appropriate time period)
• a GV created in the booking window, but ticketed after the promotional period and flown within the appropriate time period.
  
• a changed flight (created in the booking window, flown within the appropriate time period)
• a cancelled flight that has become a V then rebooked. (created in the booking window, flown within the appropriate time period)

All of the above will have PNRs created in the booking window. I am doing this out of idol curiosity to see if anything has changed since last year, I suspect not. I will come back to this thread with my results.

For the new members or those chasing status you would not normally achieve please do assume that QF do not monitor this site. Take the risk either buy some GV or flex fares and see what happens.

 

[OATEK]

So am I correct in saying that is the consensus of this forum that buying vouchers now in the DSC window will allow me to redeem them for QF flights in the window period and get DSC for that QF flight ??

It seems that there is no consensus on this matter, with the status of vouchers and confusion about promotion period vs promotion booking period, and the issue seems to remain open to (legal) interpretation.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

All of the above will have PNRs created in the booking window. I am doing this out of idol curiosity to see if anything has changed since last year, I suspect not. I will come back to this thread with my results.

Good stuff.

As serfty said last year:- "You take your chances."

Completely comfortable to take my chances, and I too suspect the IT back-end won't have changed from last year.

The worst case scenario is ending up with regular gift vouchers - hardly the end of the world.

 

[CMA222]

Hullo AFFers,

I just re-registered for this promotion as I did not receive a confirmation email the first time I registered yesterday and I read the conditions which state "Flight gift vouchers purchased but not redeemed for an eligible flight booking during the promotion period will not earn double Status Credits."
.

It shows that QF are monitoring this site and thread and the need to limit discussion as appropriate. QF moving the goal posts mid game is par for the course but the contracts entered into before the change relying on the then published terms and conditions will legally apply but try and make an issue of it. I expect it will be a matter of "make me" as they have all the control - as always. Another example of misuse of their superior contracting power for the ACCC investigations into the behaviour of the airlines me thinks.

 

[jomar]

If you just want DSC then register and book flights by 5 Feb on Qantas metal with QF codes and travel by 20 (?) January with the journey starting in Australia.

Where does this theory about the itinerary needing to originate in Australia come from? The DSC T&Cs are (similarly to previous years' promotions) “any Domestic or International Qantas operated flight with a QF flight number on your ticket where Status Credits are normally earned” and I don't see any further geographic text. So I would expect my northern hemisphere-originating itinerary to attract DSCs, as similar itineraries did with last September's promotion.

(To be sure, gift voucher T&Cs limit those to itineraries starting in Australia. But I'll be paying for this with cold hard cash.)

 

[oz_mark]

It shows that QF are monitoring this site and thread and the need to limit discussion as appropriate. QF moving the goal posts mid game is par for the course but the contracts entered into before the change relying on the then published terms and conditions will legally apply but try and make an issue of it. I expect it will be a matter of "make me" as they have all the control - as always. Another example of misuse of their superior contracting power for the ACCC investigations into the behaviour of the airlines me thinks.

The fact that the trick works at all is just a quirk in the way the implement vouchers. Any other implementation and we probably wouldn't even be here discussing it...

 

[Happy Trails]

Where does this theory about the itinerary needing to originate in Australia come from? The DSC T&Cs are (similarly to previous years' promotions) “any Domestic or International Qantas operated flight with a QF flight number on your ticket where Status Credits are normally earned” and I don't see any further geographic text. So I would expect my northern hemisphere-originating itinerary to attract DSCs, as similar itineraries did with last September's promotion.

(To be sure, gift voucher T&Cs limit those to itineraries starting in Australia. But I'll be paying for this with cold hard cash.)

You're correct.
The promo is also up on the UK and Singapore home pages, for example.

 

[Solid]

So called up QF, they gave contradictory advice (also after going away for 5 minutes)

They said to buy voucher excluding the infant in the passenger count and then call up to add the infant after booking (or alternatively book via CC and they will add infant)

I suppose it depends if adding an infant to an existing booking creates a PNR change?

FWIW I’ve added an infant to a booking previously and the PNR remained the same. Wasn’t concerned about DSC for that one though.

 

[jomar]

The promo is also up on the UK and Singapore home pages, for example.

Interesting — that's new today on the UK home page (and merely third in the slide show).

They're pretty sporadic about putting useful splash screens on those overseas home pages, e.g., if they ever said “yay, new London lounge!” on the UK page, it was only many weeks after it opened.

 

[Pushka]

You're correct.
The promo is also up on the UK and Singapore home pages, for example.

I thought I read a post that was a little peeved as they usually book ex Australia as it was cheaper and therefore would not be eligible.

 

[serfty]

No. The T&C say the DSC is only available on QF ticketed QF operated flights in or originating in Australia.

That's incorrect ... The T&C state:

“any Domestic or International Qantas operated flight with a QF flight number on your ticket where Status Credits are normally earned”

There is no geographical limitation.

 

[Pushka]

I thought I read a post that was a little peeved as they usually book ex Australia as it was cheaper and therefore would not be eligible.

No. The T&C say the DSC is only available on QF ticketed QF operated flights in or originating in Australia.

Most annoying since we always buy Europe-Australia returns. (Much cheaper.)

That's incorrect ... The T&C state:
There is no geographical limitation.

Ah. TheRealTMA led me astray That’ll teach me for listening to you

 

[RichardMEL]

Good stuff.

As serfty said last year:- "You take your chances."

Completely comfortable to take my chances, and I too suspect the IT back-end won't have changed from last year.

The worst case scenario is ending up with regular gift vouchers - hardly the end of the world.

Exactly the way I view it.. and hey I save CC fees using them so it's a bonus either way.

And as for the public discussion of this topic.. well if QF have addressed it, as is *possible* with the new wording, then it's moot since they knew... I too was a member of fight club but gave up

 

[mviy]

If QF has addressed it they’ll likely end up getting a lot less revenue from me so we both lose.

 

[RichardMEL]

The reality is to think QF do not know is lunacy. They knew last year. they knew the year before. How much they can or want to invest to fix it? that's the big question.

And who knows? the wording discussed above may indicate they have addressed this.

ANd if so.. honestly I would not rant and rave or be upset.

I'll still make the status I want (I have made P1 without any bonuses in the past, as a matter of fac)

It's a lovely perk and has definitely helped through the last few years. Just as I don't expect them to show up even when they have, I also expect things can and will change. After all these promos are for QF's benefit, not really ours

Anyway we'll know sooner or later when people book and travel one way or the other.

 

[Haplo]

It would be interesting to how crowded the Business and First class lounge would get over the next 12 month as people take advantage of this promotion. Sydney business lounge is busting and overflowing and First class was also full the last time I was there.

Given there are other posts of Qantas allowing you to pay points if you fall short of qualification, a question then should be asked if you should do a status run to re-qualify or just to save some money and instead pay the points to re-qualify.

I am not saying it is a bad promotion, but this just triggers a lot of impulse buying which is to the benefit of Qantas.

 

[mviy]

The points to requalify is not something offered to everyone and you couldn't expect QF to offer it year after year.

If you can get DSC for flying you'd do anyway it's great.

 

[TheRealTMA]

It seems that there is no consensus on this matter, with the status of vouchers and confusion about promotion period vs promotion booking period, and the issue seems to remain open to (legal) interpretation.

Yes it seems a grey area, legally. But we bought a few $50/100 vouchers and we shall see. If no DSCs then we have not lost anything really since we could not book flights at this time.

 

[amaroo]

IMHO if you want the SC .... just buy a ticket - simples.